Xbox 360 and Forza Motorsport III: The Ultimate Collection and Beyond

The world of console-based vehicle simulations has grown considerably both in size and maturity since the early days of the arcade classic, Pole Position. Now, we have multi-channel physics engines that calculate tire deformation and even consider ambient environmental conditions for accurate engine performance calculations. Truly, this is a good time to be a virtual car fanatic, as the simulations get more complex while graphics engines and display technology continue to improve by the year resulting in more realistic and prettier models.

A few months ago, I received an indepth tour of Turn 10 Studios, the off-shoot of Microsoft that handles Xbox's wildly successful Forza Motorsports franchise, and asked enough questions to get a rough idea of how these guys convert real vehicles into the virtual realm. I also got a chance to find out what the future holds for the franchise.

The algorithms that dictate how a given car handles, and even sounds, start from the minds of the programmers at Turn 10. In fact, the programmers work hard to simplify the reams of possible scenarios that could take place in order to save valuable processing cycles for graphics and non-player cars.

For example, instead of modeling a Corvette Grand Sport and Aston Martin V8 Vantage completely independently, they're both placed in a "front-engine, rear-drive coupe" category. Each category has its own set of math models to use and they represent generalities that, when combined with a specific car's individual data set can very accurately describe a car numerically. This is much more efficient versus using a system that resorts to complete dynamic generation of all moving pieces of the car.

To validate these broad subsets and insure the data set and information gathering process works according to plan, Turn 10 utilizes a few different resources. One of those is in the simulation itself, and the other is utilizing real drivers. For example, a front-wheel drive economy car, like something you'd start your career mode in Forza with, shouldn't power oversteer. Likewise, a race car's on-track performance is verified by someone who's actually driven or has experience with the car in question.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Getting the data into the system though, is a tricky task and a major uphill battle. For each level of complexity that goes up in the game, the corresponding amount of data increases. And then there's the sheer number of cars that must be modeled. Forza III, Ultimate Collection, the newest iteration of the franchise, has 500 cars! Most of the cars are loaned from manufacturers and authorized distributors. Others are borrowed from owners. Regardless of how a car is acquired, it is photographed, measured and tested.

Much like the vehicle dynamics model, the audio model is broken down into subsets and recorded and synthesized. In a corner of the Turn 10 studio lies an unlikely sight: a bundle of mandrel bent exhaust pipes that were fitted to various cars to record engines with modified exhaust systems.

Turn 10 is taking advantage of XBox's technological innovations and is moving towards a focus that prioritizes game-play and user interaction. Opening up the traditionally uber-geeky realm of vehicle simulations to the casual player is essentially the main priority, and the best way to do that is using XBox's next big thing.

If you haven't heard, Kinect is just such a thing for XBox. Kinect is a system that allows gamers to interact with a game with just their body. No controller required. It does this via a cluster of sensors housed in a box that sits above or below your display. While there's not much information on specifically how the sensor cluster (comprised of a camera, ranging equipment, microphone array and even an infrared laser) will work with Forza IV (due out in Fall of `11), our short tour of Turn 10 included a sampling of what others have seen already.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Imagine driving a car just by putting your hands out in front of you, like you're holding a steering wheel. Or interacting and exploring a model of a car, Minority Report, style. Hard-core sim-drivers have nothing to fear, though, as Kinect will not replace the standard controller or steering wheel controller.

Forza III Ultimate Collection is out now (suggested price of $29.99) as is the XBox with Kinect. – Calvin Kim

The Kinect sensor bar bristles with sensors and sits on a motorized tilt-control mount. The left and right-most sensors are used for 3-D range data, while the center sensor is a color camera. A microphone array is on the bottom of the bar.

Dan Greenawalt, Creative Director for Turn 10 Studios, demonstrates how Kinect could be used in a future version of Forza.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Greenawalt demonstrates an easy to play, more arcade-like version of Forza that would still use Forza's graphics and artificial intelligence engines. A version of Forza like this would be designed for casual gaming.

The lobby of Turn 10 immediately lets you know what the office is all about.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The walls at Turn 10 Studios are decorated with concept drawings, in-game art, and automotive memorabilia.

A typical work space at Turn 10.

Every fantasy track in the game is modeled and rendered with thought given to the environment in which it exists. Building architecture and design reflect what things would look like in the real world.